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BUSINESS
HUMAN RESOURCES
Text by WENDY CASEY
Photography by JULIEN BECKER
ATMOSPHERE ISN’T EVERYTHING Here’s what makes a good place to work so good, and others so bad.
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s G20 leaders gathered to discuss the promotion of international financial stability in September, the British prime minister Theresa May took time out to meet with a number of key players, including the US president Barack Obama, to talk through the impact of Brexit on trade and commercial relationships. One can’t help but wonder whether the atmosphere was positively charged and conducive to agreement, or somewhat defensive and downright uncomfortable. Because, be in no doubt, atmosphere hugely impacts outcomes. The same can be said of the workplace; a great workplace inevitably produces great results and while atmosphere is one defining factor, there are a whole host of elements that differentiate inspirational workplaces from the truly atrocious. The prevalence of workplace stress and burnout continues to augment levels of sick leave and, according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, contributes to around half of all lost working days. As a result, Melanie Molz-Kroll, an occupational health psychologist, is experiencing an increased demand for counselling from companies and private individuals. “Employers tend to tackle stress management on a tertiary level, after the damage has been done rather than approaching it on a systemic level. They should be asking ‘what can we do to improve working conditions?’ and while 79% of European managers are concerned about stress in the workplace, less than 30% have procedures for dealing with it,” she says. “Many companies have no clear and strategic process and have to resort to a case-by-case approach,” Molz-Kroll October 2016
adds. She believes that negative work environments are the product of a combination of factors and that a good management structure tunes into these intuitively to detect the early warning signs. “You know things are bad when conflicts are not being resolved--when no leader is willing to take the necessary steps, and when people demonstrating uncivil behaviour are not taken to task. Sending a few half-hearted emails that are not followed through is highly ineffective.”
WARNING SIGNS She says that unclear roles and non-existent job descriptions are equally demotivating along with a lack of smart objectives, leadership vision, staff autonomy and “duty of care” guidelines. “I’ve witnessed ineffective meetings taking up valuable time; there’s much inefficiency placing people under unnecessary stress.” Molz-Kroll believes that a people management culture with a sense of social justice is the way forward. “An effort/reward balance--not an imbalance where effort remains unrewarded,” she exclaims. But she is quick to point out that employees carry their own burden of responsibility, and that the current mentality of investing the least effort in a bid to achieve the maximum is counterproductive. “We want it all--a rich family life and a fulfilling job, but
today’s technological advances mean we have the additional pressure of constant availability.” It’s a challenging juggling act.
USING TOOLS The rate of technological development has significantly increased the pace at which we work, but Joëlle Marsot, HR director at MNKS, a law firm, believes that technology is not the root of the issue: “The problem lies in the behaviour it induces in the users.” She recommends disconnecting from time to time, respecting the privacy of employees, taking breaks to recharge batteries and setting your own limits whilst continuing to be efficient. With 16 years of HR experience under her belt, Marsot has worked through a host of challenges including two strikes, three pollution-related environmental incidents, two redundancy plans and one merger. “Keeping staff happy has to be one of the main priorities of any business,” she stresses. “A happy employee is nine times more loyal, six times less absent, two times less sick, 30% more productive and 55% more creative,” she explains, and it’s certainly a compelling argument. “The challenge is to convince company leaders that every penny spent to foster a positive work environment is an investment in the company’s growth. In addition, you need to create an
MELANIE MOLZ-KROLL Lack of clarity is stressful
" EMPLOYERS TEND TO TACKLE STRESS MANAGEMENT… AFTER THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE."